# Review - The Kraken



## David_ESM (May 11, 2011)

Brand: The Kraken
Type: Spiced Rum
Price: $20.95 after tax everywhere in WA
Fixed: Neat

Typically I will drink my rums with a little ice&#8230; However, my fridge broke the weekend before this review and I had no ice. So we are drinking it neat today but I will add in my experience from drinking this rum in the past.

The KRAKEN! Put a little beast in your belly!

As far as I can gather this rum is distilled in Tobago and then shipped to the US distribution center in Indiana where they add more spices/flavoring right before it goes into their very unique bottle.

The rum is incredibly dark (just see the photo below). I am going to throw an educated guess and say that a large part of that is going to come from caramel coloring because it certainly doesn't taste like it was in barrels anywhere long enough to get this dark on its own.

Smelling the rum it is apparent that when they say spiced they mean it. I can smell so many different things it is hard to pick them all out. Dominantly I can smell some licorice, cinnamon and cherries. I am also picking up vanilla (common in most rums) and something else I can't quite place&#8230; I want to guess clove, but can't say for certain.

For being a cheaper priced rum this is actually one of the better sipping rums around. It has a long lasting finish that is rather pleasant as it coats your mouth and hangs out between sips. Definitely getting the vanilla, cinnamon, cherries and licorice flavors. Now drinking it neat at room temp I do notice that it has a stronger menthol taste at the end than usual. I definitely recommend this rum be served with ice as that seems to dull out that alcohol a little more and lets the other spices play a better role.

Typically I drink this rum with coke (my favorite smoking drink being a rum and coke). This rum balances out with a mixer like Coke extremely well since it isn't as sweet as many other rums. The mix of both the vanilla and cherry flavors go incredibly well with Coke and the very light alcohol after taste (the menthol flavor) is almost completely erased by the mixer.

Again, this isn't the most expensive of rums at just twenty bucks a bottle. But it brings a whole lot to the table. I highly recommend any rum fans at least give it a chance, I think it will surprise and appeal to a lot more than it might disappoint.


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## Hinson (May 11, 2011)

David I chased this down a few months back after you mentioned it in chat. I'm not a big rum drinker, but this stuff tastes great. I've kept it on hand since my first purchase. Thanks for the review.


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## Oldmso54 (Jul 31, 2010)

Nice ashtray and a monte edmundo? don't know anything about the rum but the pic looks most satisfying and enjoyable (especially since I'm still at work waiting for a meeting tonight!) :sad:


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## David_ESM (May 11, 2011)

That's my $1 ebay ashtray I forgot I bid on until I got an email saying I won something. Then I forgot about it again until it arrived...

The Monte was actually not that enjoyable. It was plugged beyond belief. Couldn't get smoke no matter what I did... But I have 2 more waiting to try again.


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## szyzk (Nov 27, 2010)

Awesome. I just bought another bottle of this tonight for $17!


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## Rock31 (Sep 30, 2010)

I really like it with Diet A&W.


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## JohnnyFlake (May 31, 2006)

Absolutely me favorite Spiced Rum. I favor it mixed 50/50 with diet pepsi over ice!


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## StogieNinja (Jul 29, 2009)

I'm not a rum guy. But I was at a buddy's house and he poured some. It was actually pretty good neat. Nice review, David.


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## billybarue (Mar 20, 2006)

Thanks for the reviews. I avoided this stuff just because of the silly name and bottle. I always figure that stuff is just for show, and there ain't know "dough" in the bottle. I might give it a try.


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## xBOBxSAGETx (Aug 12, 2011)

I honestly don't drink anything else. Mixes great with Dr.Pepper and A&W. I drink it neat or on ice when I'll feeling tough. It's 94 proof so it tingles a little but it smooths down especially with a cigar. It goes hand in hand with a nice maddie. 

I love Kraken


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## apollyon9515 (Apr 10, 2009)

Tried some earlier after this review and thought it was a good sipping drink.
I was hoping for something with alot of flavor, but this was super smooth normally id like something smooth but tonight i wanted something different. I dont mix my drinks with anything but ice for the first few drinks and then i add a little water.

I will probably get another bottle to keep around for small(warm) drink or for iced down sipping. One of the smoother drinking rums ive ever drank vs capt morgan private stock. well worth the $20.


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## David_ESM (May 11, 2011)

I used to drink a lot of the capt private stock but there are just too many choices to just have one. I have another rum review coming up as soon as I get back home.

(Posted from Las Vegas airport on droid. Back in action tomorrow, llamas beware.)


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## LLave (Oct 21, 2011)

Thanks David!


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## Pianoman178 (Oct 16, 2011)

Thanks for this review, David. I've been wanting to try The Kraken for a couple months. Now I will definitely get a bottle soon.


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## AStateJB (Oct 13, 2011)

I'm not usually a rum drinker and when I do drink rum it's always mixed, but I picked up a bottle of Kraken this afternoon to try. Started out sipping it neat about 4:15... still sipping it neat.  This is pretty damn good for the price!


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## Staxed (Oct 16, 2011)

I'm not a rum drinker either, normally too sweet for me, though I am considering picking some up if I can find it around locally somewhere. Hard to not try it at the price...


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

David
In the Summer I am a rum drinker and this this one of my favorites.
50/50 with diet Coke or better yet diet root-beer.
When you factor in the price, it taste even better


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